The 2026 Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit will Feature an Art Exhibition and a Performance Showcase!
Performance Showcase | 4:30-5:00 PM​
“Rain”: The Music of Local Composer Kaleel Skeirik
Recently, a surge of artistic works has emerged aimed at moving hearts and minds and motivating positive action on issues of ecological and social sustainability. Happily, in recent years, Cincinnati’s Green Umbrella has featured the sustainability-related works of local artists in their annual Midwest Sustainability Summit. In addition to two other artistic performance pieces, the 2026 Summit will feature “Rain,” a new and innovative musical work by Kaleel Skeirik that illustrates the power of rain as a symbol of love and human connection. Set to text by poet William Carlos Williams, the work combines women’s vocal quartet, marimbas and piano with performers who “make” rain with hand-body percussion, at times assisted by guided audience participation. Local conductor Michael Goist will direct the work and professional vocalist Ellen Graham will lead the quartet of women’s voices. Rain” evokes stewardship for the earth through appreciation of water’s power as the essential, life-giving force. The work is produced by Nautilus Compositions (Kaleel Skeirik and Nancy Bertaux, both active in local environmental affairs).
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Would you like to join the performance? Professor Skeirik is seeking volunteers with vocal, choral or instrumental experience to be part of the “body percussion chorus” (simple hand-body movements such as tapping fingers, knees, etc. Performers will require availability late afternoons of Thursday, June 11 (tech/dress rehearsal) and Friday, June 12 (run-through and performance. Contact Professor Skeirik at skeirik@gmail.com if interested.
Undone
Original song performed by Deinfa Okoro
Deinfa is a Cincinnati‑based singer‑songwriter whose music spans different genres with evocative storytelling. With a background in environmental sustainability, she approaches her craft with a rare combination of intuition, emotional depth and a deep connection to the natural world. Her songs explore themes of self‑discovery, feminine softness, emotional resilience, and the psychology of connection - offering listeners a space to feel seen, soothed, and grounded.
Known for her warm vocal tone and her ability to translate introspection into melody, Deinfa creates music that resonates with those seeking authenticity and inner clarity.
Her work reflects an evolving artistic identity shaped by softness, honesty, and a commitment to intentional, holistic expression. She is currently developing new material that expands her sonic world while staying rooted in the tenderness and truth that define her voice.
How Did I Get Here
performed by Tony Staubach
On average, 138,000 tons of food is landfilled by Hamilton County residents, businesses, and industrial facilities each year. Estimates indicate that nearly 23,300 meals are saved and redistributed each year by food recovery partners working in Hamilton County. However, there is another 45,000,000 that could be rescued for transformation and upcycling. This rescue doesn't happen by accident. It takes all of us working together, volunteering, making intentional purchases, and changing institutional practices, to get surplus, edible food to upcycling kitchens who are ready to prepare meals and distribute them to the people who need it most. This story is told from the perspective of a once-forgotten potato, who is given the chance to take the road less taken through an upcycling kitchen and eventually transformed into a nutritious dish for a food-insecure family in our region.
Tony Staubach is the Food Waste Diversion Sr. Specialist with Hamilton County ReSource. He received his MS in Public Policy from Drexel University and his BA in Education from Wilmington College. He previously served as an Extension Educator for OSU Extension and the Project Manager for the “Grow Food Grow Hope” initiative at Wilmington College. Tony currently serves on the steering committee for the Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council, as a Global Issues Instructor for Wilmington College, Board Member for Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen and Social Center, and received a 40 Under 40 award from Waste360 in 2023.
Art Show | on display throughout the day
Featured artists include:
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Hummingbird
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Kri Van Sloun
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Ethan Machell
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Lindsay McCarty
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Abriljoanna Huerta
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Louise Kendra Isabela Criselda Casis Lao
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Bob Gedert
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Devan Horton
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Alan Wight
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Marrow Kretzer
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Fran Collins
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Jaden Leman
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Jessica N. Gray
Thank You to Our 2026 Summit Sponsors!
Interested in sponsoring the Summit?
Contact Green Umbrella's Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Charlie Gonzalez
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